


I Found.

by Absolute_Trash37



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Angst, Demons, F/F, Fear, Guilt, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide, Torture, little bit of wyndoc but not much, wayhaught needs to reunite asap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-07-20 06:51:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16131926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Absolute_Trash37/pseuds/Absolute_Trash37
Summary: Wynonna and Nedley enter the garden to save Waverly and a few other residents of Purgatory (this is why when a town is evacuated, you listen) They find Waverly and realize that Wynonna made an assumption... that could ruin everything.





	1. I'll Use You as a Focal Point

After all that time. 

After everyone in town (despite how small that number now was) disappeared along with Waverly and Doc, after Wynonna and Nedley spent weeks figuring out how to get onto the stairs and through the doors, after finding almost EVERYONE else first (yes, Nedley and Chrissy's reunion was precious), they finally found them.

It was almost in slow motion, as if the universe wanted to keep them apart even longer.

Wynonna saw Waverly first, she almost didn't believe it, she didn't want to, in case it was a cruel trick and that the Garden was trying to keep her here, but something felt right and Wynonna just _knew._

That was when Waverly turned around and saw her. Waverly's eyes resembled a baby deer's.

“'Nonna?” Waverly's voice was quiet and scared, as if she shared Wynonna's fear of it all being a lie.

“Waves,” Wynonna couldn't hold back the smile as she rushed to Waverly. When they made contact they fell to the ground, both of them sobbing. Nedley smiled from where he stood, happy for the sisters. 

“Waverly! I got dinner-” Doc came out of the bushes with two rabbits in hand, blood trickling down his chin. “Wynonna.” 

Waverly pulled away so Wynonna could go reunite with Doc. The Earp scrambled up from the ground and into Doc's arms before she kissed him. 

“Ugh.” Wynonna pulled back with a grimace as she wiped blood from her lips. “I don't understand how you can like that.” Wynonna went back for a quick kiss before she returned to hug Waverly. 

“I can't believe you're here.” Waverly smiled happily before she looked around. “Where's Nicole?” 

Wynonna's face fell. Jeremy, Robin, Nicole, they were the only ones she hadn't found yet, she thought they were with Waverly, they had to be with Waverly.

“They're not with you?” Wynonna looked around, as if she was waiting for them to pop out and yell surprise. 

“No it was just Doc and me, we're the only ones here.”

“No the four or five people i Purgatory got dragged in here too, we thought Nicole would have come and found you. Jeremy and Robin were missing too.” Wynonna sighed. “So if they're not in here... they're still Purgatory alone, and VALDEZ was a clue, not a weird Purgatory thing...”

“VALDEZ? Wynonna what are you talking about?” Waverly was terrified. Wynonna looked up at Doc and Nedley, neither of them were in denial, and they understood fully.

“Jeremy, Robin and Nicole... they were kidnapped. And my guess is not by something human.”


	2. Tired of Being Strong, Too Weak to Move On.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is where Jeremy, Robin and Nicole were while Wynonna hunted for Waverly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning this is the chapter with torture and all that fun stuff. Nicole gets the brunt of it. Skip this chapter if you want to avoid the violence
> 
> (I'm aware Valdez isn't a demon in the comics. I'm just mean.

Robin woke up first and realized very quickly that they were in trouble. They were somewhere dark, somewhere cold and the only light came from two torches that hung on the back wall. The torches dimly illuminated chains and hooks anchored onto the wall. They were also bright enough for Robin to see Jeremy in the far corner, propped up against the wall.

“Jeremy... Jeremy?” Robin weakly scrambled over towards the smaller man. Robin placed his hands on both of Jeremy's shoulders and gently tried to shake him awake. “Jeremy, JerBear, come on, wake up, please wake up.” 

“I USE A SHOWER CAP AND LOOFA!” Jeremy yelled out when he suddenly jolted awake. Jeremy looked at Robin's scared face and came to the same realization. “Great... we were gaynapped... yupyupyup we were gaynapped...” 

“So there really is no chance that this is all a prank on Wynonna's behalf?” Robin asked optimistically as he looked in disgust around the room. 

“No, she would have locked Doc in here-” Jeremy's eyes landed on fire-like hair and he knew it was Nicole. Jeremy moved forward, jut to be hit with a wave of dizziness from the remaining effects of whatever Wynonna used to drug them. With Robin's help, Jeremy half-dragged himself over to Nicole. He rolled the officer onto her back and he held his breath with worry.

“It didn't kill us, she-she should be okay, right? Was-was she always that pale?” Jeremy began to spiral after a few attempts at waking Nicole. Robin placed a hand on Jeremy's shoulder as reassurance and they waited. Within minutes, Nicole began to stir and groan. 

“What the hell, Earp?” Nicole clenched her eyes shut before she finally opened them. Nicole sat up when she saw Jeremy and Robin's dark figures in the light, the confusion etched on her face faded into concern after she scanned the room. “Where's Waverly?” 

“Funny, that's your first question after we wake up in a dark torture dungeon,” Robin mumbled before Jeremy elbowed him gently.

“Is Waverly safe? Did they go to the garden?” Nicole got up and stumbled as the drugs wore off. She made her way to the corner Jeremy woke up near, which happened to be where the large door was. She immediately started to pound on it and rattle the doorknob in an attempt to get it open.

“Nicole, Nicole, please.” Jeremy pleaded as the officer got angry. “Nicole,” Jeremy got nervous as she backed away from the door, just to pull out her gun and aim for the door handle. Jeremy couldn't protest before she shot off two rounds. Both bullets ricocheted, one into the ceiling, one into the wall very close to where Jeremy and Robin sat. This lead to Jeremy letting out an angered “NICOLE!”

“I need to get out, I need to find her.” Nicole began to pace as she grabbed clumps of her hair. When Jeremy tried to intervene and give words of encouragement, she snapped. 

“No! No, it's not okay, it's different for you, your someone is right there, right beside you, she's out there! She could be a fucking statue by now or in Eden, or the entire world could be burning as we speak, which means I need to get out there and make sure she's okay, make sure they're both okay.” Nicole was furious at Wynonna, she couldn't do it alone, and she certainly shouldn't have brought Waverly along, not under the circumstances. Then again, there was still a chance she drugged Waverly too, that Waverly was still safe. There was still a chance. 

Nicole ran through a million possible scenarios in her head, and none of them were good. Jeremy and Robin were very uncomfortable, and briefly, they were worried it wasn't even Nicole. Nicole was stable, rational, right at that moment Nicole was desperate and feral, like a wild dog looking for food.

After what felt like ages, the three of them heard heavy and slow footsteps nearing the door. Nicole unsheathed her gun once again and blocked Jeremy and Robin from the path of whatever that thing could be. 

“As soon as you see an opening, run,” Nicole advised coolly, her business exterior reigning her in from the fear she felt for Waverly. After a little more time spent listening to the nearing footsteps, the door began to move as whatever was on the other side opened the door. The open door didn't provide much more light, but it was enough to realize that appearance wise, this thing made Satan look friendly. Long dark horns that curled like a bull's, and it was at least the size of the Hulk without the horns included, eyes of blue fire, leather-like skin that was the colour of fire smoke, it's arms bulged with a frightening amount of muscle, and it wore a black robe that covered him from the waist down. In one of its hands was a canvas toolkit, in his other hand, he held a black staff. 

Nicole started firing. Bullet after bullet lodged itself into his skin as he continued to approach Nicole. She moved away from Jeremy and Robin, towards of the back of the room in hopes of giving them an opening. They sprinted to the door, which slammed shut just as they got close enough. And, of course, Nicole's gun ran out of bullets, and she genuinely believed it was a sick joke because there was no way so many things would go wrong on the same day. 

“Oh you've gotta be kidding me,” Nicole spoke with a cynical tone before she tossed her gun aside. After throwing her hands up into a fighting position, the beast stopped and towered over her. She took a deep breath and threw her fist into his stomach. There was an audible crack that was loud enough to make Jeremy and Robin wince. 

Nicole made a weak and hurt “Ah” as she crumpled to her knees, hand held protectively in her fist. 

“Stupid.” The monster spoke simply, its voice was deep and was laced with death. “Very stupid.” the demon took one hand and gripped Nicole's throat as he lifted her up into the air. Despite the fact that she was losing oxygen, Nicole squirmed and kicked and tried to break loose. As the red-headed cop struggled, there was a sudden movement and light behind the monster, and it was followed by the sound of splintering wood. 

“Oops?” It was Jeremy, who now held a piece of the broken torch that used to rest on the wall.

“Stupid mortal.” The demon threw Nicole aside, which lead to her hitting one of the stone walls with force. “VALDEZ CANNOT BE KILLED!” It yelled at Jeremy, before the thing, which they could only assume was named Valdez, grabbed onto both Jeremy and Robin and dragged them to the chains on the wall. 

“Your kind was easier to torture before, didn't fight back.” Valdez bellowed out in irritation. After Robin and Jeremy were tightly secured in the chains, the monster glanced back to the corner where Nicole lay limply, as if to see if she was worth his time. By the humph he let out, they could guess that she wasn't.

Valdez glared at both boys, clearly contemplating what to do to them. 

His decision didn't lead to anything pretty.

Jeremy was cut up in several different ways, and the man let out an agonized yell with each and every slice of flesh.

Robin couldn't bear to look when Jeremy succumbed to his wounds and collapsed, weak and in pain. 

Valdez burned Robin's hands and feet, which made escape or retaliation impossible, the smell of sizzling flesh made Jeremy gag, and it was enough to almost stir Nicole. 

Robin was cut in ways similar to Jeremy, and he screamed and yelled just as much. The screams and Jeremy's angered protests were enough to stir Nicole fully. With a groan, she turned over just to see what was happening. 

“Stay away from them!” Nicole yelled out in anger before Valdez turned and grabbed her tightly, he used a great force to slam her into the pavement, ensuring her head made contact. After Valdez slammed her into the floor a few times, he whipped her to the far wall and Nicole was gone again as soon as her head made contact with stone.

Valdez looked at each of them with caution, skeptical. After he was done his observations, Valdez rolled up his toolkit, picked up his staff, and left the room. 

It continued like that for a couple weeks, Nicole being knocked unconscious or beaten into submission, Jeremy and Robin being hurt in a different way, Nicole getting the strength back up to intervene, just to be put back into a state where she had to watch, then Valdez would leave and after a day or so of allowing them to recover, the monster would return.

Then, about three weeks into their capture, Jeremy and Robin got weaker and were losing hope. Nicole knew she had to act properly, that Valdez's way of torturing her was to make her watch Jeremy and Robin's pain, to not be able to help them. She knew she had to grow distant from them, to act like she didn't care.

So that's what she did. She acted as if she couldn't care less from where she sat in the corner of the dungeon, trying not to react every time her friends begged for help, for her help. She pretended as if they meant nothing to her. 

“You've changed your spirit.” Valdez declared on the fourth day of Nicole's new approach. 

“Well, yeah.” Nicole looked and faced Valdez, almost childishly. “I mean, I'm not the one getting tortured so it's a pretty good deal. They don't mean anything. Frankly, it's kind of entertaining.”

“Nicole?” Jeremy's voice broke as his heart broke, his friend was abandoning him when he needed her most. 

Valdez left that day and came back the next, holding a new set of chains in his hands. The demon took a moment to nail the chains into the ceiling before he wandered over to where Nicole sat in the corner. She pretended she was terrified, she begged and pleaded, all part of her rouse, her plan to make Valdez forget about Jeremy and Robin. 

When she was chained by her wrists, arms stretched above her head, she still didn't touch the ground. Nicole imagined Waverly's smile and felt such immense guilt when she could barely remember it. Nicole knew that thinking of Waverly would get her through whatever happened next, she also knew it would likely destroy her just as much. Valdez let her squirm in anticipation and pain as her arms accepted the uncomfortable and incorrect position. He waited until she least expected it, before his swung his arm and hit her in the stomach, Nicole's entire body flew back up and hit the ceiling. The contact caused dust and lose bits of rock to fall to the floor. She knew that between the two forceful hits, she definitely a fractured rib or two. 

Valdez stood proudly as he watched her swing back and forth, coughing painfully. He took out a curved blade, it looked far too decorative to be something useful. 

“Lucifer himself gave me this dagger, I've had it for millennia, to this day only one human has felt it's touch. Today you shall be the second. Now, every time I cut into your soft, porcelain skin, you are going to thank me. Do you understand?” Nicole was now trying to hold back her fear, which was only amplified by the echoes of screams in Valdez's voice.

“I said, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!” Valdez's voice became a roar of fire in Nicole's ears and she shut her eyes and looked down to prevent the heat of his breath from hurting her.

“Yes, yes! I-I understand I UNDERSTAND!” Nicole spoke quickly to prevent Valdez from taking out his anger on the boys that were chained to the back wall. 

“Yes, VALDEZ!” Valdez ordered her.

“Yes, Valdez, I understand,” Nicole spoke as boldly as she could. 

“Good.” Valdez started under her left collarbone, carving a V into her skin. Nicole replied to every cut with a “thank you, Valdez”, and if she was every too slow, he'd yell at her with his petrifying roar, so she'd begun to thank him while the knife was still cutting flesh. The sight was enough to make Jeremy and Robin look away, and the sounds still haunted them. 

Nicole got yelled at the next day because Valdez wanted her to thank him no matter what he did to her, whether it was a punch or a cut or a burn.

She didn't realize how cold it was until Valdez cut off her clothes to expose more skin. She was left in her Calvin Klein sports bra and boy shorts. On top of the pain from everything else, she had to deal with the cold now too. 

A week or so after, after a particularly hard day, where Valdez hurt each of them in a special way, leaving Nicole with a broken leg, a concussion, and an eye swollen shut, with Jeremy and Robin both cut slightly.

“Are you okay?” Nicole bubbled out, she had a fat lip from an encounter with Valdez a few days earlier, and the concussion made her words slur even more. 

“You care now?” Robin accused. He was hurt after what she said all that time ago. 

“I always cared. That's why... Valdez didn't hurt me physically before, the torture was to watch knowing I couldn't do anything. So I started to act like I didn't care, so he'd start to hurt me instead. It seems to be working...” Nicole's head bobbed down, just to throw it back up with a cry of pain. One wrong move and her shoulders would dislocate, she was surprised they hadn't already.

A few days after, Valdez paid attention to her back, stabbing the right places in her spine to make her jerk and spasm uncontrollably. After a forceful blow between her shoulder blades, there was a sickening pop that made Nicole scream, Robin puke, and Jeremy clutch his crotch as if he'd been sacked.

“THANK ME!” It was the first time in ages that he'd had to remind her.

“Thank you... Valdez...” Nicole whimpered through her tears as her arms stretched. Valdez walked in front of her and stared with the intense heat from his eyes. He pulled his precious curved dagger from his waist and held it to Nicole's face. He stabbed into her forehead and she yelled out in agony as blood ran down and mixed with her tears. Valdez carved along the edge of her face and stopped just before the jawbone ran down and met at the point. The cut was deep enough that Nicole was convinced that, if he wanted to, Valdez could peel it away and leave nothing but bone.

Valdez didn't rip off her face, Valdez reached up and clutched the chains she hung from in his hands before he yanked them out of the ceiling and let Nicole fall into a puddle of her own blood. He revelled in her shriek as she landed on her broken leg, then fell back onto her broken ribs. Valdez walked two feet over and placed one huge foot on her chest. 

“What. Do. You. Say.” He commanded, he watched her try to cough it out as best she could for what felt like an hour before she let out an agonized:

“Thank you, Valdez”

He let her lay in agony, soaked in her own blood, and left as she continued to cry from all the pain she couldn't keep in anymore. Jeremy and Robin tried to free themselves from their restraints to help her, but it was no use. 

Nicole did everything she could to relocate her shoulders, all so she could set her leg with another horrifying yell. After her leg was set Nicole fell on to her back, the wheezing was the only sign she was still alive.

“Nicole?” Jeremy asked, worried that he might be imagining the rise and fall of her chest.

“Do you think they're still alive?” Nicole's voice was raspy and weak. “Do you think she's still alive?” Jeremy sighed. 

“I don't know, but I sure as hell hope so.” Nicole nodded weakly from her place sprawled out on the floor.

Valdez left them alone for what seemed like years, they had lost count of how long it had been, and Nicole could barely remember Waverly at all, the incredible woman seemed like nothing more than a dream now, and the officer had sure as hell given up on hopes of a rescue. The next time Valdez came in, he attacked and hurt Jeremy and Robin, and Nicole was too weak to even turn her head and see what caused their screams. 

They were left alone again. For hours, days or weeks, they didn't know anymore. 

Then he returned, and apparently, Nicole's recovery time was over because Valdez dragged her to the back wall where Jeremy and Robin were both still chained up. 

“Now... I've been thinking, and you're hard to torture, you really are, so, because of your clear martyr complex,” He glared at Jeremy and Robin. “I figured it out, I'll make you torture them.”

“I'll die first,” Nicole stated bluntly, her lip still swollen making her words sound slurred. 

“No, nonono no no. You won't have a choice.” Valdez lifted her up, holding her close to his leather-like skin. “These hooks, are made perfectly for humankind,” He took her arm out to a ninety-degree angle and lodged her forearm into the hook. “You see, the hooks for your limbs are just to keep you upright.” One hook at the base of her head, one hook jabbing into the lower spine. “The spine hurts, and after I torture you steadily for a month or two, three if you're strong enough any more.” The next hook was jabbed into her other forearm. 

“No one has made it three months on these, and your spirit's almost gone already, I'll have you off of here in no time.” Valdez stuck a hook into each of her calves and she breathed out her final pained "thank you".  
“The best part is, just because I'll have you like a puppet on a string, you'll be mentally present throughout all of it. Took me four hundred years to perfect this. A lot of brain dead idiots along the way.” Valdez bellowed before he left the room, likely to let Nicole writhe from where she hung on the wall. 

“If Waverly was still out there...” Nicole murmured weakly, “I'd stay up here forever, just to survive and make it back to her. Jeremy,” Nicole couldn't move so the young man turned to face her. “Don't worry when I get off the wall, I'll hold out. But when I give up, because I can't do this much longer... I'm going to get down, wait until he gives me a weapon, and I am going to slit my own throat.” Nicole warned. Jeremy didn't know how to react to that, he really didn't, he could only hope that Nicole wouldn't give up.

 

Even though she already had.


	3. Somewhere Inbetween

Wynonna had doubts as they approached the gate that lead back to Purgatory. 

Waverly couldn't get off the staircase before, and there was no guarantee that the solution she and Nedley found to get through was permanent. Even if Waverly could get off the stairs, a tree had very literally come through the door and dragged Waverly to Eden. All Wynonna could do was hope that, for once, everything would go smoothly and then they could get out and start looking for their friends. 

But of course, in the life of an Earp, nothing goes smoothly.

The closer they got to the gates, the further the gates moved, and then the trees started to move. Branches slithered out like vines, reaching out for Waverly.

Wynonna ran and slashed at the branches that got too close, Nedley huffed and puffed next to them, Doc kept using his speed to try to catch the gates.

“Doc!” Wynonna yelled at the vampire. “Grab her, try to get her to the gates!” Wynonna ordered in regard to Waverly, desperate to get her sister out of the Garden safe and sound. Doc rushed back to them and did as instructed, and the branches shot out in front of Wynonna and Nedley in an attempt to catch Waverly. Wynonna was thankful because now, when she hacked off a bit of branch she could wait before worrying for Waverly again. 

As they sprinted, Wynonna watched Doc stop dead in his tracks as the door moved again. In a desperate fury, Doc lifted Waverly up high over his head, ready to throw her. “Brace yourself.” He warned before launching her towards the door. 

“DOC!” Wynonna yelled, positive the door would move and Waverly would hit the ground head first.

“No! Waverly!” Wynonna made a B-Line for her sister, unable to make it in time but trying none the less. 

Then, Waverly reached the doors, and they glowed boldly before Waverly disappeared and the Garden of Eden shook as the door planted itself.

Doc then rushed over, first bringing Nedley to the door, then bringing Wynonna, who was still cutting away at the branches to prevent them from reaching the door. Nedley was through by the time Doc got Wynonna to the gate, and Doc left as Wynonna cut back another branch, then she was through the gates too. 

“Off the stairs!” Wynonna ordered and Doc leaped off as Waverly stood from her place in the snow. Nedley was already reciting the spell they had used to open the door backwards, and branches were flinging through the doors as Nedley read the last bit and Wynonna slammed Peacemaker in the ground. 

The branches tried to reach out for Waverly, but as soon as they tried to go past the border of the stairs, they ricocheted.

“We're out.” Waverly said in awe as Wynonna pulled Peacemaker out of the ground. “We're finally out!” Waverly leaped out into Wynonna's arms with glee. Both sisters laughed happily. 

“Now, let's go find your girl” Wynonna assured. Waverly smiled sadly, scared for Nicole. 

“Don't forget about the squirrels that she was with.” Doc reminded. 

“Yeah... we have a family to put back together.” 

 

* * *

 

Valdez entered their cell and paid more attention to Robin and Jeremy then normal. After their broken cries and screams weren't enough to satisfy him, he turned his attention to Nicole, who occasionally twitched from her place on the hooks. 

“How are you today, Nicole?” Valdez asked rhetorically, Nicole shifted her glance to Valdez's face. 

“Why?” Nicole muttered out weakly. “Why are you doing this?” 

“You don't get to ask questions,” Valdez bellowed. “I don't answer to you, but if you insist,” Valdez ripped out his decorative knife and plunged it into Nicole's abdomen, causing her to thrust forward, tugging on the hooks. 

“NO!!” Jeremy and Robin both tried to fight their restraints to help her.

“Because you were at the wrong place at the wrong time, I was looking for the Earps, angels are unacceptable, and Wynonna Earp was born to kill demons, two people we can't afford to keep in this world,” Valdez explained as Nicole gasped and tried to take in air desperately as Valdez twisted the knife and ripped it out. 

The demon walked over to one of the torches on the wall and brought it over to Nicole. 

“Remember, you are only alive right now because I want you alive.” Valdez warned as he lifted the torch to her stomach. The smell of burning flesh filled the room as Nicole tried to find the strength to scream. Valdez allowed the wound to cauterize as he gave the rest of her stomach third-degree burns. 

“I forgot to mention something,” Valdez added as he dropped the torch, the impact causing it to burn out and darken the room. “I do it because I can.” Nicole made eye contact with him through his googles, and could see the evil fire of his eyes. 

Valdez grabbed the torch, re-lit it and placed it back on the wall.

“You forgot to thank me.” Valdez commented as he was about to leave the room. 

All that came out was garble, no real words forming from her mouth.

“You'll give up soon, Nicole Haught, and when you do, you'll be as unrecognizable on the inside as you are on the out.” Valdez closed the door with a slam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry they'll be reunited soon, but whether or not everyone will be intact is the real question.
> 
> Whaaaaaa? Two stories updated in one day???? Go me!   
> If any of y'all follow my story "How Am I Supposed to do This?" It will be updated either tonight, tomorrow or the day after


	4. Hell

“So- so you just thought _this_ was just a, a what? ''A weird Purgatory thing''? Wynonna, with no one left in town, how could that be a coincidence?!”

“I hoped, and in my defence, I had just lost you and Doc, I didn't know what to do, then I saw Nedley at the bar, who had been looking for Chrissy, I-I just hoped.” Wynonna looked down with a sigh. 

“They better be okay, and we better find them.” Waverly glared before marching out to the porch. 

 

* * *

 

The wall creaked open and Valdez stomped in once again. Nicole closed her eyes, afraid of what was going to happen, either to herself or to Jeremy and Robin. Valdez walked over to the two men and grabbed Jeremy, picked him up and threw him to the ground, which caused him to cry out due to the strain on a previously broken rib. 

“Jeremy!” Robin tried to rush to his boyfriend's side before Valdez hit him and sent Robin crashing into the wall with a coughing fit. Immediately, Valdez turned his attention back to Jeremy, pulling a whip from his torture kit. 

“Robin, it's fine, I'll be fine.” Jeremy insisted, not acknowledging Nicole because she couldn't help him if she wanted to, and she desperately wanted to, knowing the pain of the whip herself. The officer closed her eyes in both sorrow and anticipation. 

Then the first crack sounded. Jeremy yelled as the whip made contact with his arm, and Nicole winced from where she was hooked onto the wall. 

“Stand.” Valdez ordered simply, Jeremy obliged, fearful of what his punishment would be if he didn't. 

The whip cracked again, and this strike brought Jeremy into the air, causing him to spin before he landed on his chest, a guttural whine escaping his lips. 

“Jeremy...” Robin muttered weakly, wanting to help but not wanting to risk Jeremy more pain. 

“I'm alright,” the short scientist assured with a grimace, before returning to his knees. 

Valdez slapped the whip on the ground, causing a dust cloud to erupt. “On. Your. Feet.” Valdez gave a warning shot, hitting the chain that bound Jeremy's right arm to the wall. The impact was enough for Jeremy to be yanked downwards, yanking on some injury none of them were able to properly diagnose. Before he could be told twice, Jeremy weakly stood. Nicole would have cried when she heard the whip crack, but she had no tears left to shed. 

The next crack struck Jeremy behind the knee, causing him to buckle to the ground briefly before he shakily stood. The crack of the whip echoed through the room as the whip assaulted Jeremy from every direction, leaving the poor man no time to recover or brace himself before the next hit. Valdez paused before he aimed the whip meticulously, snapping it as soon as he was ready. The whip lashed Jeremy's face, landing right under his cheekbone and breaking his nose. The man let out a cry and Robin had enough, lunging on top of Jeremy, shielding him with his own body. 

“I'm sorry, I was scared, I didn't want to make it worse, but I'm not letting him hurt you more now,” Robin whispered softly into Jeremy's ear. 

“Y-you-you shouldn't...” Jeremy blubbered out weakly, blood in his mouth from broken teeth. 

“I love you.” Robin declared before Valdez roared, and began to lash Robin, his clothes being torn with every crack. Nicole had been fairly silent since she ended up on the wall, Jeremy was scared the hooks in her spine were causing brain damage, so no one expected what happened next. 

“THAT'S ENOUGH.” Nicole was the one roaring now, her voice as bold as it had been months ago, back when she wasn't so damaged when she had everything to fight for. 

Valdez stood straight, looking Nicole up and down in bafflement.

“Well, that won't do.” Valdez walked over to Nicole, placed a hand on either shoulder, and revelled in the fear that instantly struck both her eyes. 

“No, no, please, no,” Nicole genuinely begged for the first time since Valdez had captured them. “Valdez, please, no, no, please, no, please, I'm beGGING YOU, PLEA-” 

Valdez pushed down and she screamed. The sound of metal scraping bone was worse than nails on a chalkboard, deep gashes were left and the neck hook forced it's way up, even closer to her brain stem. Nicole was lower on the wall now, at least an inch.

“NO!” Jeremy and Robin both cried out as her blood splashed against the wall, pouring out as if it were a never-ending waterfall. 

“Thank me.” Valdez ordered, a smirk on his face, he knew she couldn't thank him if she wanted to, and she certainly didn't want to. All Nicole could do was painfully spasm and blubber out groans as she drooled out blood. 

“When the wounds heal over, maybe you'll have learned your lesson.” With that, Valdez left.

 

* * *

 

“VALDEZ IS A WHAT!?” Waverly screamed from the other room where she heard Wynonna's discovery.

“A puppy that is the embodiment of sunshine and rainbows???” Wynonna spoke with a pained smile, slowly shifting out of her chair and backing away from her sister.

“More like a hellhound,” Doc argued casually. 

“Doc!” Wynonna growled, still backing away. 

“Le-let me get this straight, Valdez is Lucifer's personal torture demon, like for the damned of the damned, and he has had Nicole, Jeremy and Robin since I got dragged into the Garden of Eden?”

“Yep.” Wynonna winced at Waverly's tone.

“And he's had them, to do whatever he wants to do to them for months?”

“Bingo” Wynonna's head hung low and her voice jumped an octave in shame. 

“Months, Wynonna, months and months and months. How am I- they aren't going to be okay, 'Nonna, and what are the odds of us actually finding them?” Waverly's voice quickly went from angry and upset to on the verge of panic. 

“We'll find them, Waves, and they'll be okay, I promise.” Wynonna had grown a bit of maturity in the last fourteen seconds. “I'm sorry, Waves.” Waverly's blood boiled and the youngest Earp sister took a book off the table and whipped it at her Wynonna. The book would have successfully broken the Ear Heir's nose and given her a black eye, had Doc not used his speed to interfere and grab the book inches away from Wynonna's face.

“Apologize to Nicole.” Waverly marched out of the room to the outdoors, she needed a breath of fresh air. 

The brunette revelled in the cold as she thought. She was mad at Wynonna, but she was even more furious at herself, because if Wynonna wasn't preoccupied with her, she would have been hunting them down, she would have found them by now. Waverly wished that it was impossible to get through to Eden's gates, because it would have meant Nicole's safety. Oh, Nicole, poor, sweet, precious Nicole. Waverly felt guilty for wanting Nicole back so badly, of course she wanted to find Jeremy and Robin too, but that was different. Jeremy and Robin had the comfort of each other, she needed Nicole. And Nicole probably needed her, for comfort, or to take out her stress on... for anything. 

Nicole... she never knew if she'd see Nicole again, and then Wynonna found her... and she thought Nicole would be right behind her sister, only to find out... to find out Nicole had been in worse danger than she had been in all along.

And it killed her to know that Nicole was still in trouble, and they had no clue where to start looking.

“I have no doubt in my mind that Officer Haught will be fine, if it brings any solace.” Waverly heard Doc slip out onto the porch to join her. Waverly quickly brought her hand to her face to wipe away tears and she sniffled in a poor attempt to get herself together. 

“It doesn't really, but thank you, Doc.” The cowboy bowed his head down sheepishly, giving Waverly a small nod. 

“We won't stop until we find her, especially Wynonna, you know that.” 

“I know... I just, I can't help but wish she had let me go, if she accepted that she couldn't get me back, she would have looked for them, but she was too wrapped up in getting me back to realize that they were in trouble.” Waverly looked out to the endless trees and grassland. “I wish I had turned to stone... I wish that I was in a position that I couldn't be saved from, I wish she had opened her eyes and realized that things don't just get scorched into walls for the hell of it. I wish I never left the Homestead to follow her...” Waverly's lip quivered as she turned back to Doc with a shrug. 

“I would have been here with them, with Nicole, I could have helped them, protected them, saved them... I could be with Nicole right now...” Waverly shuddered against herself. 

“Yes... but it could also be the middle of the apocalypse had things been done differently.” Doc proposed. 

“It wouldn't matter if it were the apocalypse, we'd be together.” Waverly hugged herself at the remark, wishing a certain red-head was in her arms instead. 

“Well, we better get back to it, the faster we figure this out, the sooner you two are back together.” Doc made his way back to the door before turning back to Waverly briefly. “Wynonna knows she made a mistake, and she wants to rectify it, don't be too hard on her, Waverly.”

Doc returned inside, the door closing behind him. Waverly took a long and deep breath as she looked out to the miles of endless terrain. 

“I'll find you, I don't know when, or how, but I will, I promise.” 

 

* * *

 

Jeremy slept, curled into Robin's side, Nicole had eased since earlier, the only sign of movement being the rise and fall of her chest and the occasional twitch

“Are-are you okay?” Robin didn't know what to say, Nicole hung from her place on the wall, twitching every time her brain remembered that nothing should be touching the spine like that.

“Pretty far from it unfortunately.” Nicole growled out.

“I-I remember what you said to Jeremy, and I think she's still out there, they might be busy dealing with the apocalypse, but they're out there, and they're looking for us, Waverly at the front lines.”

“I used to be optimistic... annoyingly so...” Nicole let out a sick grimace from her place on the wall and she shifted her vision to get a better view of Robin, not daring to move her head. 

“What's your favourite thing about her? I always loved how she'd ramble about anything she was passionate about.” Nicole's grimace turned to a smile at the thought of Waverly's traits, even if the image of it was fading from her head, she still remembered the feeling.

“Yeah... and the way her eyes lit up when-when she read or learned something new, the way she'd smile when she was flustered, how even her mistakes would be perfect. I couldn't even be mad at the fact she kissed Rosita... she was so sorry, she thought I'd hate her and I had a secret wife. God a personal doctor would be good right now...” Nicole tried her best to recount the woman she loved. 

“Waverly and Wynonna are out there, Doc too, they'll find us, they're trying as we speak, I know it.”

“No, Robin, it's been months, they would have figured it out by now. They're dead, and even if they were alive, they aren't coming. They aren't.” Nicole shut her eyes as she tried to remember simple things from before Valdez kidnapped them: The sky, the permanent winter that was Purgatory, what colour Calamity Jane was, Waverly. It killed her that she couldn't remember exact colour, and that Waverly's image had nearly completely faded from her mind, Wynonna's too, and Nedley and everyone else. All Nicole could see clearly was the pain, and pain had a name, Valdez. 

“I-I know you might not have faith, but I do, Jeremy does, you have to hang on, for Purgatory, for us, please.” 

“It hurts, Robin, it hurts so much. Everything that's happened, losing Waverly... everything before... it hurts and I don't want it to hurt anymore.” Robin looked down sadly and licked his lips sadly, lovingly watching Jeremy as he slept. 

“Look,” Robin swallowed and looked up at Nicole, who couldn't move her glance any further his way. “Do what you need to do, whether it's giving in, letting go, or keeping it up, you need to do what you think is best for you now.” Robin shook his head sadly, angry he had to do this. 

“Jeremy wants you to hold on, and it hurts us to see you in pain, but he doesn't want to lose you, so he can't do this. We love you, Nicole, and you've sacrificed so much since we got here, I couldn't see it before and I was stupid, and I am sorry for that,” Robin paused to show his apology was genuine. “But I understand now, I get it, and Jeremy will too, I don't care what you need to do to get through this, or if you decide you can't, just do what you have to.” 

“Thanks, Robin, Waverly had a good taste in best friends...” Nicole relaxed as much as she could against the hooks.

“She has a better taste in girlfriends.” Robin declared before both people glanced at each other. 

Nicole let out a sickening smile from where she hung and Robin laughed for the first time in ages. They spoke in unison:

“And a horrible taste in boyfriends.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWO UPDATES IN A WEEK??? Go me! Whoot whoot! Anywaaaaays, I suck, I'm aware, more coming soon. Hope you enjoyed it, hating it is great too.


	5. No Monopolies on Pain.

Waverly hadn't slept since she found out Nicole and the others had been taken by Valdez, and what Valdez was. The young Earp was so absorbed in saving her friends and her girlfriend. 

It wasn't right, none of it was right. She shouldn't have been taken into Eden, Jeremy, Robin and Nicole should have never been taken, it was all wrong and all bad. Waverly hated it. 

She was walking outside the homestead, just along the border of the property, deep in thought when she felt a branch against her arm. 

Waverly let out a scream that put horror actresses to shame. 

“STAY AWAY FROM ME!” Waverly collapsed into the snow and scrambled away backwards, just to realize the branch was from a bush, nothing more. Waverly sat up, panting quickly, clouds of air escaping her mouth with each breath. “I-I-” Waverly continued to catch her breath, and tried to explain herself when there was no one there to explain herself to. 

Waverly stood, shaking either from cold or from the shock, she wasn't sure which, and she made her way back to the homestead to make a cup of coffee. 

Wynonna shot upright when she woke up on the couch. She looked around to see if anyone else was at the homestead, and was terrified when she saw no signs of anyone else. 

“Waverly? Waverly!?” Wynonna got up and rushed into the kitchen, “Waves!-” Wynonna let out a sigh of relief when she found Waverly in the kitchen, watching a pot of coffee brew. She smiled at me sadly.

“I guess I'm not the only jumpy one today,” She commented quietly. 

“I'm sorry. I just, I was nervous... I-I don't want to lose you again.” Wynonna admitted, truly genuine. 

“You aren't alone in that boat. I acted as if a bush was going to murder me a few minutes ago.” Waverly shook her head as she let out a chuckle. “It's so stupid. You would have laughed if you were there.” Waverly brushed off the remark but Wynonna just cleared her throat.

“I would have sliced it to bits with Peacemaker.” Wynonna defended, and Waverly smiled with a small nod.

“I'm sorry,” Waverly admitted lowly. 

“For?” Wynonna was utterly confused as Waverly poured Wynonna a coffee. 

“This has been hard on you too, and I just go and make things worse... I'm sorry I've been a bitch, I know you're worried about them too.”

“It's okay, hey, I get it. I'd be pissed too. I done goofed, and I know that. I'm sorry too, I should have looked for them while I was figuring out how to get to the Garden.” Wynonna added Baileys to her coffee as Waverly sat next to her at the table. 

“I've been too hard on you, you saved me and I repaid you by throwing a heavy book at your head,” Waverly spoke gently, ashamed in her actions. 

“Yeah, I gotta say, that was a little uncalled for.” Wynonna teased, causing both women to chuckle. 

“Thank you, 'Nonna, for everything.” Waverly spoke genuinely.

“Yeah, well, now that we've caffeinated, I think it's time we start looking for your girl again.” Wynonna stood with a groan and patted Waverly on the back. 

“Yeah, I think I have another idea where to look for more information too.” Wynonna smiled at her sister proudly. 

“We got this.” Wynonna declared proudly.

 

* * *

 

Since she and Robin spoke, Nicole's condition had worsened. The blood loss slowed down, but the woman couldn't mutter anything other than a gurgle or an incoherent slur, and Jeremy couldn't see from where he was chained but based on her eyes half rolled into the back of her head, and her mouth hanging agape, Jeremy was starting to fear Nicole had brain damage. 

“Nicole, could you say something? Anything? Even just the ABC's?” Jeremy asked and Nicole's drowsy eyes rolled over into his direction.”

“Ehgh...Begh...sagh...degh...” Nicole tried and Jeremy winced, feeling Nicole's frustration. She was still completely coherent, but her body couldn't work with her. 

“Can you feel anything? Your toes, fingers, anything at all.” 

“trin...gllle,” Nicole blubbered out tiredly. “Paaiun.” 

“Tingles? Pain?” Jeremy asked, desperate to understand her. Nicole grumbled in the affirmative ad Jeremy racked his brain for ways to help. 

“What's wrong?” Robin asked quietly. 

“Well the pain is good, it means she still has feeling, but it sucks that we can't help relieve it... the tingling is probably because of the hooks latching in her spine and her nervous system is freaking the fuck out.” Jeremy stared at the ground deep in thought.

“I just want to help, and get her down.” 

“We tried already, Jer-bear, and we can't reach her with the chains, you pulled so hard your wrists bled for a day and a half.” Robin pointed out sadly, and Jeremy looked up at Nicole sadly.

“I'm so sorry,” Jeremy told her honestly. 

“ssssskkoy-ay” Nicole slurred out. 

Valdez entered without warning, but he didn't take to torture right away.

“Still alive...” Valdez pointed out as it examined Nicole. “Thought I broke you.” Valdez declared. “But you're just almost ready.” Valdez glared pointedly through welding goggles, admiring the mess he'd made of Nicole. “I did good, that's what I did.”

Valdez was on his way out when Nicole spoke up.

“Volllaz... I anh aaaff” Nicole spoke up and Jeremy's head snapped up, he couldn't lose Nicole, he couldn't watch her... he couldn't.

“Not almost ready, just... ready.” Valdez stomped back over and grabbed Nicole, efficiently lifting her up and off of the hooks with a slick sliding noise. 

Valdez set Nicole down, but her injuries to her legs and spinal cord caused her to stumble a few steps before collapsing into a limp heap on the floor. 

“Too weak to start yet, you start soon.” Valdez lifted Nicole and started walking to the door, the woman in his arms. 

“No, Nicole! Leave her alone! Don't touch her! NO! NICOLE!” Jeremy yelled, scrambling up and rushing to the door in hopes of catching them, just for the chains to yank him back. “NICOLE!” Jeremy yelled out as the wall shut behind Valdez and Nicole. 

“He's going to fix her, patch her up.” Robin tried to assure. 

“We don't know that, he could think she's too broken or too weak to do what he wants, we might not ever see her again!” Jeremy freaked out, trying for the first time in ages to break free of his restraints. 

“We have to have hope!” Robin pleaded. “If we lose hope, if we think that this is it, and this is all there's going to be, then we might as well already be dead, we have to hope that she'll be okay, because if we don't then do we even care?” 

“I'm scared, Robin. I'm scared and tired, and I... I wanna go home...” Jeremy whimpered out the last part sadly. 

“I want to go home to, and I think we'll get home, sooner or later.” Robin brought Jeremy into his arms. “We'll be okay, I don't know when, or how, but we will be okay, I promise.” Robin brought them to the ground, and Jeremy curled into Robin's side, and for the first time in a long time, he cried. 

 

* * *

 

All Waverly could think when she flipped through the pages of her new attempt to figure out where Valdez would be was “maybe sleep pays off after all.” 

“Oh my God, oh God, oh my God!” Waverly rushed into the next room, where Wynonna and Doc were doing their research.

“Does Purgatory have any underground bunkers, like Big Mama's? Only bigger.” Wynonna racked her brain.

“As far as I'm aware there are only a few large bunkers in all of Purgatory, one of them being under the mayor's office, that should be the deepest,” Doc recalled.

“Then we start there.” Waverly decided firmly. 

“How do you know that's where they are?” Wynonna asked. 

“Valdez likes it old-school, dark, cold, eerie, and he's tied to Hell, he can only be above ground for a certain amount of time before he'd get dragged back down under.” Waverly threw the book aside and grabbed her coat and Wynonna grabbed Peacemaker and gave the blade a spin. 

“Then let's go kick Valdez's demonic ass.” Wynonna declared before the three of them stormed off to the truck. 

 

* * *

 

The door creaked open and Jeremy jumped up to his feet, hoping Nicole would be with Valdez. 

His stomach sank when he saw the scene in front of him. 

Skin was paler and made fiery hair stand out even more, she was on her own two feet again, but her posture was pushed forward, and the look in her eyes could only be described as empty.

It was not what he hoped to see. 

Jeremy breathed out, “Nicole,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... what's Nic gonna do? 
> 
> I know this chapter is slower and more toned down than the previous ones, sorry.


	6. So Close...Hold On...Closer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW Suicide in like last three paragraphs.

Nicole advanced, eyes still heavy and emotionless. Jeremy began to squirm, he glanced to Robin, who swallowed thickly, eyes wide.

“Nicole, Nicole please, you don't have to do this.” Jeremy's spoke fast, begging Nicole to hold on, to stop herself from doing anything. “Please, you're stronger than this!” Jeremy's voice was reminiscent of chaos and uncertainty.

Nicole turned her head back to Valdez in anticipation, waiting for him to pitch in.

“Do what you can come up with. You'll earn the right to use weapons.” Valdez ordered and Nicole turned her attention back to Jeremy and Robin. Jeremy's heart rate increased notably as Nicole marched towards them.

“Nicole, you don't-” Robin was cut off as Nicole grabbed the collar of his shirt with on hand and threw the other fist into his cheek, sending him to the ground.

“Robin!” Jeremy tried to run to his boyfriend's side, but was stopped when Nicole pivoted and threw a punch into Jeremy's gut, causing him to sink into the floor.

Nicole lifted Jeremy up by the back of his shirt and shuffled so he was pinned against the wall.

Jeremy swore he heard her whisper a barely audible “sorry,” before she smashed him into the concrete. As Jeremy coughed, Robin got up and rushed over towards them. Nicole easily stepped out of the way and grabbed one of the chains attached to Robin's wrist. She lifted the chain and yanked back, causing Robin to stumble towards her. When his back was pressed against her, she threw the chain in front of his neck and squeezed, preventing him from using his arm to take the pressure off. Robin's legs kicked out as his airway closed, and in the moment, Jeremy ran at the pair like a bull.

He knocked Robin and Nicole to the ground, successfully freeing Robin from Nicole's attack.

“Nicole, Nicole, please.” Jeremy shook as he spoke, not knowing what the red-head would do next. He was beginning to doubt what he heard more and more.

“Nicole, I don't want to hurt you, and I know you don't want to hurt us, so I-” Nicole threw a fist into Jeremy's jaw, snapping his head to the side, as he recovered he messily backed away.

“Nicole, Ni-no, what would Waverly think!?” Nicole stopped, and her eyes went from empty to dark as her entire body tensed and she advanced faster, throwing another punch at the short scientist. After he recovered, she launched her fist up under his chin, causing him to fall to the ground, where she wound up her foot and kicked him. She continued her assault on Jeremy, Robin still recovering a few feet away.

“Stop.” Valdez's voice echoed through the room. Nicole stood straight, shoulders hunched slightly forward and she turned to face the demon.

“I liked the chain work, and the wall. You make weapons of what you have, I like it.” The deep and booming voice filled the room as Valdez pulled out his toolkit.

“Pick one.” Valdez ordered and Nicole moved swiftly, taking a simple blade from the canvas and returning her attention back to Jeremy and Robin, moving towards the former. She crouched beside his sprawled out form, he had just propped himself up with his hands.

Jeremy looked at her with sad and desperate eyes. “Nicole, please.” Nicole took a deep breath and plunged the knife in Jeremy's thigh, causing the man to squeeze his eyes shut and slip to his elbows as he cried out.

“I never intended on hurting you, like, _really_ hurting you, but-” Nicole twisted the knife and moved closer so she could whisper in his ear, not paying attention to his anguished cry. “-don't you _dare_ use her against me.” Nicole's voice was cold and angry, which concerned Jeremy more, because that meant that this was really Nicole, all on her own accord.

Nicole twisted the blade again and yanked it out with a juicy squelch just as Valdez realized what was going on.

“It didn't work, you're not- it didn't work, you bitch!” Valdez rushed forward and Nicole got out of the way, she stared Valdez down as he began to advance on her again.

“No more, not again, no more pain, no more pain. I'm done.” Nicole spoke boldly before she turned the knife around, watching Valdez yelled in fury. Her mind was the clearest it had been in months, and Nicole didn't hesitate.

She turned around to the open doorway just in time to see Waverly come to a skidding stop, mouth agape.

Nicole instantly recognized the face of the woman she loved more than anything, and hated herself for ever being able to forget such a beautiful face. She remembered their arguments, their make-ups, the good times and the not so great. Nicole instantly remembered every touch, every kiss, all of it. She could finally see in colour again.  
It didn't change anything, it couldn't, Nicole's decision had been made long ago.

 

 

She smiled as she plunged the blade into herself, ripping through skin, flesh, blood and bone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Salute* This is here for your enjoyment or your detestation, your choice really. Please inform me if I need to add any tags, and I apologize if it seems alien or unrealistic..


	7. Lost In Pure Agony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW Little bit of self-inflicted pain (only way I can describe it) in this chapter, if I need to add any tags please let me know.

“NO!” Waverly shrieked as Wynonna, Doc and Nedley joined her in the cell's entrance. Wynonna's eyes bulged out of her head as she watched Nicole drop to one knee and then the other, hands still on the knife that was lodged just below her ribs.

“Nicole, no! Please, please no.” Waverly rushed to Nicole's side in horror, wrapping her arms around Nicole to support her. The red-head looked at Waverly with watery eyes and slightly raised eyebrows, a sad smile still on her face. 

“You're alive,” Nicole breathed out, the smile not fading. Nicole moved a hand up to caress Waverly's cheek, admiring every detail. The officer really hated the pained look on Waverly's face and hated herself for being the cause of it. 

Nicole may have been able to recognize Waverly, but Waverly hardly recognized Nicole. The red-head was clad in a sports bra and her underwear, her face covered in bruises of all colours, one eye was swelled shut and her lips were contorted by swelling and cuts. Waverly could feel wounds on Nicole's back, and could see the burns on Nicole's stomach, as well as a burned over stab wound, all too close to where Nicole's new wound was. Waverly also noticed a scar in the shape of a V under her collarbone... and she wanted to kill Valdez right then and there for branding the love of her life.

“Earp... Angel... you're the ones I need.” Valdez began to advance on Waverly, who was distraught as she tried to stop Nicole from bleeding out. Wynonna took a few large strides and slid onto her knees as Peacemaker's blue flame lit. She stuck the blade out as she passed Valdez, successfully slicing a deep and large gash in his both his shins. Wynonna continued to slide across the room on her knees until she was out of Valdez's reach, who let out a roar. Wynonna got to her knees and ran onto her feet as she got to Jeremy and Robin. 

With a few hits, she successfully broke the boys free before she stood tall and turned to face Valdez. 

“No one hurts my family, not even the Hulk.” Wynonna growled out, giving Peacemaker a twirl in hopes of intimidating Valdez. The demon was too mad at Wynonna to pay attention to Waverly. The eldest Earp lured Valdez to the far corner of the cell, continuing the fight from there as Jeremy and Robin frantically pulled the excess chain out from the wall so they could retreat.

“Y-you need to go,” Nicole groaned out, her face contorting through the strain of speaking. “You need to help Jeremy and Robin, make sure they get out.” Waverly shook her head, holding onto the wound to ensure the blade didn't move. “Please, Waverly, g-” Nicole was cut off by the sound of Wynonna hitting concrete after Valdez finally got a good hit in. 

“Wynonna!” Doc yelled out, before speeding into the combat. Valdez batted the cowboy away like a rag doll. 

“Waverly, please.” Nicole's expression was dark as Waverly reluctantly stood, running to Jeremy and Robin. The officer managed to move to her hands and knees, she took a deep breath and yanked the blade to the right, only stopping when she hit her rib, and pulled it out of the dripping wound. Despite the damage she did to her body, Nicole managed to stand with a shaky footing.

Waverly turned, Jeremy's arm around her neck for support, and saw Nicole standing, glaring at Valdez. 

“Nicole!” The young Earp cried out as she approached the exit, Nicole walking towards where Valdez had gotten the upper hand on Wynonna. “Come on! You need to go, you need to get out!” 

“Don't get in my way, Waverly.” Nicole's voice was grim, eyes locked on Valdez. 

“Come on, you'll come back for them. We need to get these two away from harm.” Nedley spoke rationally despite his growing fear for his protege. 

Nicole took one step after another, blood leaking onto the floor with each movement. Nicole watched with stony eyes as Valdez struck Wynonna again, sending her spinning through the air. Nicole winced as she moved faster, catching Wynonna's eye. The Earp nodded in appreciation and solidarity before she threw Peacemaker and Valdez lifted his foot to crush Wynonna.

His foot never made contact. 

Nicole had caught Peacemaker, and she stabbed through Valdez's knee as he brought his foot down. 

“Go make sure Waverly doesn't do anything stupid. He's mine.” Nicole ordered Wynonna as Valdez yelled on his knees. The older Earp ran off as Nicole stared at Valdez's back. 

“You wanted me to turn cold,” Nicole spoke with a calm in her voice, adrenaline rushing through her veins as she began to walk around a recovering Valdez. “You wanted me to be so apathetic I would torture my friends, my family,” Nicole glanced at Peacemaker, thankful the sword was allowing her to handle it. “Here's, the thing Valdez, I'm gonna give you a taste of your own medicine, and I'm going to do it with the biggest fucking smile and as much joy as you've ever seen.” Nicole took Peacemaker and slashed into his other knee, causing him to yell and instinctively swat at Nicole. Manoeuvring out of the way hurt like a bitch.

“You ruined me, Valdez.” Nicole stabbed Valdez's arm and pulled back as the demon stood, anger and fury overcoming pain. At this moment, and this moment alone, they were on equal ground, they were two facing the same. Valdez went to grab Nicole, who moved to the side and slashed at his wrist instead of stabbing his hand. She was angry and her kind soul was gone, she wanted him to suffer the way he made her suffer. 

“You took everything from me.” Nicole words were laced with venom, and she rushed forward, using Peacemaker to cut into his side before she was behind him. It was anyone's best guess who had lost more blood at this point, and Nicole didn't care that she was dying, she didn't care that she had a stab wound in her chest, she didn't care that her blood was watering the ground, all she cared about was that, now, after everything, it was a fair fight. 

“My strength,” Nicole Rushed forward and slashed his forearm, causing him to roar and grab her in defence. He threw her against the wall and Nicole gave a sick smile, blood staining her teeth. Wheezing, she held her wound with one hand while the other tightened its grip on Peacemaker.

“My pride,” She rushed forward and slashed his other forearm, making sure to move fast enough Valdez couldn't recover and land another hit on her, she was done with his abuse. 

“My dignity,” She stabbed down, ripping through the back of his calf. Immediately, Valdez screamed in agony and fell to his knees once again. Nicole plunged the blade downward and ripped through the back of his other calf, causing blood to splash on her face as she exposed his bone. Nicole ripped Peacemaker out and used the blade to cut the band that kept Valdez's welding goggles on. The red-head limped around to face the demon as his goggles fell to the ground. 

She looked at him with the one eye she could open and stared at his eyes, they were clenched shut. Slowly, he opened them and Nicole stared into flames. It made sense to Nicole, the eyes were the window to the soul, and his soul was Hellfire. 

“My empathy,” Nicole got far closer than she should have and she used Peacemaker to slash in an overlapping NH on Valdez's chest. “When you branded me... you said that now everyone would know that I was yours, that it was all your handy work, well now everyone will know that you were beaten by me, by a woman, by your own product.” Nicole spat at him, and the demon grabbed Nicole around the waist, where the burns were still so tender. She screamed as he lifted her and slammed her back into the ground. 

He was going to slam his fist down onto her, but she rolled out of the way just in time, leaving a track of blood where she rolled onto her front. Nicole got up onto her hands and knees, panting weakly, drowsiness and weakness starting to hit her. 

Valdez got onto a knee and growled as he tried to get up. Nicole's eye's widened and she got to her feet, hurrying to get behind Valdez. She circled around just in time to hold Peacemaker over her head and lodged the sword in the middle of Valdez's lower back, earning another roar as he crashed to his knees again. Nicole herself dangled from the sword, eyes squeezed shut as she felt her wound open wider and more warm liquid poured out onto her skin. Taking a few deep breaths and bracing herself, Nicole grabbed Peacemaker and lifted herself up so she was standing on the blade. 

Valdez was in pure agony, falling forward and only bracing himself by pressing his bloody forearms on the wall. Nicole reached up and grabbed one of his horns and painfully pulled herself up so she sat on his shoulder like a saddle, holding the horn for support. 

“It's funny, Valdez... I was going to spare you, I would've let you live,” Nicole spoke in his ear, an odd joy to it, and she took a moment to let it sink in.

Then, without warning, she stabbed Peacemaker through the back of his neck, the tip of the blade sticking out the front. She got closer to his ear as she twisted the sword, Valdez already gagging and choking on his own blood. “I was going to let you live,” she repeated, her voice jumping an octave. 

“But you forgot to thank me.” Nicole ripped Peacemaker out and jumped off his shoulder, stumbling as she landed, legs weak and blinded by pain. Nicole turned to face the exit, ignoring the echoing thud as Valdez collapsed to the ground. 

Nicole smiled at her audience of two, blood dripping from her lips. 

“Thanks for the ammo, Earp.” Nicole spoke in Wynonna's direction, weakly lifting Peacemaker. Wynonna had a strong grip on Waverly, who would have intervened otherwise. Nicole took a few weak steps towards them, giving Waverly a smile that, in hindsight, was terrifying. Blood dripped to the floor with every heavy step she took. Peacemaker fell from Nicole's hand to the floor as Wynonna let go of Waverly. And Waverly ran towards Nicole. Nicole tried to make it into Waverly's arms, truly tried, but her strength was depleted. 

Just before Waverly could reach her, Nicole collapsed onto the cold, hard ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So at this point, I'm honestly not sure if I'm going to go much further with this, or if I'm going to kill Nicole or not.  
> This is probably the most action the rest of the story will see, idk if that influences anyone's answer or not but still. If anyone wants to see a bit of a recovery process and attempting to deal with the trauma, or just would like this story to be continued to its full end, please let me know.
> 
> If I need to add any tags and trigger warnings please also let me know. Hope it was enjoyable or emotional or whatever emotion this chapter brought out.
> 
> Essentially I need to know whether or not the story is worth it.


	8. Stop Every Clock.

Speed.

That was what Waverly remembered, it was so fast.

Nicole fell, Waverly skidded to her knees to tend to the already limp woman, and desperation took hold. Wynonna and Waverly carried Nicole out of the dungeon, out to the ambulances tending to Jeremy and Robin. 

Waverly remembers yelling and crying for the paramedics to help Nicole, and they complied, taking the boys and Doc to the hospital in one ambulance and Nicole being rushed off in the other before Waverly could get in. 

Nedley drove the hysteric Earps to the hospital, shaken himself but years of work enabled him to keep his cool in such a dire circumstance. 

He could hardly imagine what Nicole, Jeremy, and Robin went through, and he knew that the three of them needed all the help they could get. 

Waverly remembered sobbing until tears stopped flowing, remembered running into the hospital and hysterically trying to figure out what was going on. 

Waverly remembered everything happening so fast, then she felt everything hit a dead stop the second Wynonna beckoned her to a waiting room chair before the elder sibling went to talk to the lady at the front desk while Nedley used his old position to sneak through and find out more. 

“Jeremy and Robin are getting looked after, we'll be able to see them soon,” Wynonna assured as she took a seat next to Waverly, whose eyes were glassy and she looked like anything else would completely shatter her. “They're trying to get Nicole stable enough for surgery.” Based on Waverly's hollow and defeated looked, Wynonna couldn't grasp whether or not her sister could hear her.

Wynonna was about to ask Waverly a question when Doc entered through the doors. 

“Where have you been?” Wynonna asked as Doc approached.

“Smoking, they wouldn't let me stay with Robin and Jeremy, so I finished off my last few cigars,” Doc answered roughly, clearly irritated by the situation. “How's Nicole?” 

“They're trying to get her into surgery,” Wynonna declared again. “They think that surgery is even more of a risk right now, apparently riskier than bleeding out.” Wynonna spat out, pissed at the doctors who didn't understand how strong Nicole was. 

Doc let out a loud growl and kicked the nearest wall. “If we had been there a few seconds sooner!” Doc yelled in frustration.

“No,” Waverly's voice was quiet from beside Wynonna, but Waverly still spoke. “It wouldn't have mattered. She looked me in the eye and stabbed herself, she knew what she was doing. She made that decision long before we even knew where they were.” Waverly's voice was shallow, and every word she said hurt a little more. 

“No, I won't accept that, Nicole's strong, stronger than that.”

“We have no idea what they went through!” Waverly spat, turning her head towards Wynonna without looking her sister in the eye. “And I can't believe you thinking that it was a sudden decision is better.” Waverly turned her head straight again and locked her eyes on the floor.

“Waves, I-” Wynonna began to explain before realizing Waverly wouldn't want anything to do with it. 

“It's not over yet, as long as Nicole's heart is still beating, she has a chance, take comfort in that.” Doc declared. 

“This is so fucked up,” Wynonna whispered as she placed her head in her hands, disbelief and horror sinking in deep. 

“Chetri and Jett?” A doctor came out, looking around the small waiting room. 

“That's us,” Wynonna shot up quickly and Waverly looked over, not trusting her legs to hold on if she stood.

“Okay, so there's quite a bit of information. They both have a large number of injuries afflicted to their body, not many of them are severe, the worst is the burning on their feet, there might be some nerve damage but we're not too worried about that. For the most part, rest and time will be their friends, maybe a bit of physiotherapy after some of the worse wounds heal. Right now they've been stitched up and we have them both attached to a few IVs so they can get some much-needed nutrition.” The doctor paused to let them take in the information. “Before I go, they're both in room 218, and I highly suggest you avoid the topic of what they just went through until they're ready. Have a good night,” The doctor finished and walked away after Doc thanked him. 

“Thank God.” Waverly breathed, feeling some weight lifted off her shoulders knowing that Jeremy and Robin would be okay. The pain in her chest though, the one that felt like it was eating away at her, that pain stayed and grew.

“You two should stay here in case there's anything else about Nicole, I'll go check on the boys, we can take turns or something,” Doc declared, clearing his throat and adjusting his hat before walking down the hall to the elevators.

“That's one worry we can set aside.” Wynonna took a deep breath of relief as she sat next to Waverly.

“Nothing can be set aside... it doesn't mean they're okay. We have no clue about what they went through.” Waverly's voice was filled with so much heart-ache, Wynonna knew that if Nicole didn't make it, she'd have to find a way to save Waverly from her grief. 

“They'll be okay, all of 'em.” Wynonna leaned back in her chair and sighed.

Slow.

Everything was so slow. Between trying to calm down and staring at the white walls of the waiting room, time dragged on and on. 

Eventually, after what felt like days, Nedley emerged from the restricted hall that lead to the operating rooms.

“Anything?” Wynonna jumped, immediately standing up as Nedley approached. 

“Things are looking up right now, they managed to get her stable enough to operate. I don't know what'll happen in there, but it's a step in the right direction.” Nedley assured.

“It took them this long just to get her into surgery?” Waverly clarified. 

“This is bullshit, she should have been put on the table the second she got here!” Wynonna began pacing angrily. 

“If they did it any sooner, she would have bled out, they had to try and slow the bleeding and keep her levels up.” Nedley tried to explain. “It's a waiting game, but she's come back from the dead before and I have no doubt that if anything goes wrong, she can do it again.” 

“And all we can do is sit here?” Wynonna asked, preferring action over everything else.

“In the meantime, that's exactly what we do. Patience and hope are our best friends right now.” Nedley assured before making his way to a vacant chair and taking a seat. Wynonna followed the action and returned to her chair next to Waverly's side. 

Over the hours spent waiting, Wynonna and Doc had taken turns visiting Jeremy and Robin, sometimes the pair both visited together. Nedley went to check on the boys once, returned to the waiting room before leaving the hospital to check on the police station. Wynonna started to pace the halls of the hospital, finding extreme difficulty in sitting still. If Waverly was correct in her count, Wynonna had spent forty-six dollars and seventy-five cents between the vending machines, mainly on coffee. Nedley eventually returned with some decent coffee (he even took the liberty of spiking Wynonna's for her) and some pastries, stayed briefly, and eventually left once again. Doc had gone from visiting Jeremy and Robin, to sitting in the waiting room, to leaving the hospital and walking to the nearest gas station to buy seven packs of cigars, to smoking half a pack on his walk back to the hospital, to smoking four packs within five fours of buying them. After about fourteen brutal hours of waiting, Wynonna and Doc left to the Hospital's cafeteria in hopes of finding some decent food rather than low-salt chips. 

Waverly sat still. She sat in the chair, staring at the wall the entire time. When Wynonna and Doc left to the cafeteria, Waverly finally got up, her legs weak beneath her. She made her way to the room Robin and Jeremy were in and checked on them. Both boys were asleep but she still let out a sigh of relief after seeing they were physically alright for herself. 

She returned to the waiting room, sat back down, and allowed her thoughts of dread fill her mind again.

Hour sixteen, and someone came out from the locked room to get to the operating rooms. 

Hour sixteen and the word finally came. 

“Haught?” The doctor asked, followed by Wynonna and a very shaky Waverly standing and making their way over. 

“How is she?” Wynonna asked, an arm wrapped around Waverly for support.

“Well, the process was long, as you're probably aware she had many wounds inflicted upon her. In the operating room, we sealed the stab wound in her torso, and ensured that everything inside was unharmed. We tended to some infected injuries, set multiple broken bones, and just did our best to take care of everything.”

“Is she alive?” Waverly asked, her heart in her throat. 

“There were many touch and go moments, especially early on, but at this moment in time, she is alive and out of surgery in the Intensive Care Unit.” The doctor assured kindly. Waverly let out a relieved sob as Wynonna let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

“She's not out of the park yet, these next few weeks will be hard, and the recovery will take time, but for now, just have hope.” The doctor explained. 

“Can we see her?” Waverly asked shakily. 

“Not yet, a doctor or nurse will come to notify you when she's physically able to see anyone.” The doctor looked to them both separately. “Go home, get some rest, come back once you've had some downtime.” He suggested.

“Not happening, we don't go home without our family.” Wynonna clarified. 

“I understand, take care.” He walked past the pair towards the emergency room. 

“She's alive,” Waverly looked up to Wynonna, who smiled and nodded in reassurance. “She's alive,” Waverly sobbed out, tears of joy overwhelming her as she crumpled to her knees, Wynonna following. 

“She's alive,” Waverly sobbed out again, all the numbness leaving as emotions tore through her. “She alive,” Waverly cried out once again. Waverly clutched onto Wynonna as she said it, and both sisters held onto each other tighter. Wynonna ran her hand through Waverly's hair when her sister said something to make her freeze.

“She's alive... but she doesn't want to be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... whole lotta wait for not a lot of content. Sorry y'all. Hope it was enjoyable.


End file.
